Chapter 18
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: The Mage of the Ghost Club (3)
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There's a hierarchy to laziness.
Putting off work until the absolute last second and then scrambling to finish it all at once? That's amateur hour.
The true master never lets the tedious tasks pile up in the first place.
It's not about getting ahead on your work.
Going out of your way to do things that didn't need doing? That's just playing at being lazy. Cosplay for the diligent.
The real trick is "while you're at it, might as well."
So you've slacked off and dodged the work as long as possible, but now unavoidable crap lands in your lap?
Well, handle that, and while you're at it, knock out some other stuff too.
You had to come to the academy anyway, so knock out some research on magitech gadgets that'll make your life easier down the line.
You had to sit through class anyway, so show the professor the overwhelming gap in power(?) and score a legitimate day off.
You had to tag along for club activities anyway, so scout ahead for events from the original story.
In short, it's about efficiency.
Live just one hour in hyper-compressed real-mode action, and you can coast easy for a day... or even a month.
What? Why overthink it?
Why not just ditch the must-do stuff entirely for ultimate comfort?
...No idea why, but my instincts rebel against skipping unavoidable work altogether.
Just a hunch, but maybe those black company grind habits from my past life are still lurking in my subconscious.
I've been Lunaris for years now.
And the corporate slave stench hasn't fully washed off yet.
"Still got some pre-checks left on the attractions."
Beyond the lantern light, the ghost lurking in midair flinched visibly.
-...Attractions? Pre-checks?
The parroted words came out clumsy.
Well, yeah. Talking about ride inspections in the middle of a creepy old mansion? Bound to sound ridiculous.
"Nothing major. Just got a junior coming next year who might crash here, you know?"
So I'm checking things out ahead of time.
I let out a sigh thick with reluctance and quietly drew up my mana.
It's not like I want to play safety inspector NPC at some amusement park.
A translucent glow gathered at my fingertips.
The air around us began to quiver faintly.
Ghost senior still hadn't clocked the situation.
I shrugged lightly and added,
"So, if it's not too much trouble, could you show me your full power, senior?"
Before my words even finished, the room temperature plunged.
-So, you're saying you want to test me?
Ghost lady mulled over my words, then let out an eerie growl.
-...Hah, what an amusing thing to say.
A chill gust brushed past my back.
-Don't regret this.
Looks like she was dropping the mask.
-Boom!!
Fierce winds whipped through the room.
Dust swirled in thick clouds, bookshelves rattled, shook... and toppled.
But around me? Dead calm. The raging gusts scattered harmlessly as if blocked by an invisible wall the moment they neared.
I stood there, arms crossed, watching the unnatural chaos unfold.
As expected, ghost senior's specialty was wind magic.
Not that the original story detailed her spells much.
But I didn't need to rely on that. She'd been telegraphing it loud and clear since before I even stepped inside.
Blasting warning winds, slamming doors for effect.
So blatant, I half-expected some twist.
Wind magic doesn't work on me, anyway.
Wind's just air pressure shifting from high to low.
No need for defensive spells. Twist the space around me with telekinesis, and there's no room for it to flow.
That said... is this all she's got?
Sure, early-story Kyle's just a scrappy tenacity merchant with no real talent, but he's still an Elterion Academy magic department student.
This wouldn't put him anywhere near half-dead.
"This can't be everything, right?"
Not trying to provoke her or anything.
Just pure, honest curiosity.
But apparently, my innocent question struck a nerve.
-Wh-what...!
The ghost's form shuddered violently.
Suddenly, beds and bookshelves floated up.
Real-deal poltergeist action.
Would've been pretty threatening to anyone else.
But telekinesis? That's my wheelhouse.
One casual wave of my hand, and the airborne furniture froze midair.
Like time itself had stopped.
A dust-caked book thudded limply to the floor.
I stared at it a moment, then slowly looked up at ghost senior.
I just blinked silently, and her red eyes—half-hidden by bangs—began shaking furiously.
Confusion, rage, anxiety gleamed in those ghostly glare.
-What... what the hell are you...? Why are you getting in my way?
Her low, trembling voice dripped with fury.
-Don't tell me... you're here to mock me?! To laugh at me!!
"No, nothing like that."
My flat tone echoed through the room.
"If anything, I might've come to hear your story, senior."
-You came to hear my story?
Veronica's voice quivered.
Disbelief hung thick, dark energy seeping from her like mist.
Dark attribute mana.
This was her real power.
Lunaris spotted pitch-black orbs hurtling toward her and hastily erected an ice barrier.
-Crack!
Cracks spiderwebbed across the thick wall, then it shattered into shards.
More black mana clumps followed in a barrage.
This time, Lunaris twisted space with telekinesis, meticulously erasing each incoming orb one by one.
Now I get how Kyle nearly died here, she thought with a nod.
How'd he even survive this?
'Probably went easy on him.'
Seeing her living self mirrored in that desperate hard worker Kyle.
A brief lull settled in.
Veronica's form had grown even fainter.
Her crumbling shape trembled, as if drained dry.
-Ahaha, ha... no matter what I do... it doesn't work.
Fury laced her feeble mutter.
-Guess effort alone has its limits after all.
Lunaris arched a brow.
A faint crack appeared in her usual aloof mask.
A strange discomfort welled up.
Like nausea churning in her gut. She couldn't hold back anymore.
"...Not always."
That single line.
-...What would a genius like you know?
Fire reignited in Veronica's fading eyes.
-I... I worked my ass off every single day!
Aaaah! A piercing shriek echoed.
Then came the melodramatic proof of her efforts.
Practicing magic while others slept.
Skipping meals to study.
Her hazy form shook harder with every word.
-You couldn't understand! How desperately, how badly I wanted it!
Lunaris watched quietly, then sighed softly.
And spoke evenly.
"Ever tried dying from overwork?"
A blunt, detached tone, like someone else speaking.
That icy line silenced the sobs, stilled the shakes.
Caught off-guard, Veronica faltered, then raised her voice.
-O-of course! I worked till I dropped, but my grades still tanked, so...
"Not that."
Lunaris shook her head calmly.
"Did you really thrash around till the bitter end and die from it?"
This was something Lunaris couldn't say.
No, shouldn't say.
It was a slap to every hardworking soul out there.
But he could.
He, who'd clawed to live ordinarily like everyone else and died empty-handed anyway.
The guy whose daily grind was as natural as breathing, only to die achieving nothing.
He had the right to add this one line.
"Not saying you slacked off or anything."
What more could anyone do, backed into that psychological corner?
"Your problem was letting it all fizzle out in the end."
Ending it all on your own like that.
"Isn't it a waste of all that effort? Don't you think?"
Whether self-driven or forced.
"Kinda funny hearing this from a freshman, but academy diplomas aren't everything."
Truth be told, this advice was for her past self too.
What if someone had been there for her?
Telling her not to live like her days were 48 hours long.
To slack off a bit, take it easy.
Too late for her now.
Looks like it was for this ghost too.
But she'd said her piece for selfish catharsis.
While meddling anyway.
One more thing, if she had to.
"In your next life, how about living it up a little? Enjoy it?"
After spilling it all, belated embarrassment hit.
From Veronica's view, this prodigy spouting nonsense must sound insane.
Whatever. Half of them get it anyway.
She'd say what she wanted, her way.
This life, she'd live true to her desires—no take-backs.
The awkward silence didn't last.
-...Why is that...
A hoarse voice leaked from Veronica.
-Why do words from someone like you... who seems free of worries... feel like comfort?
Soon, hiccuping sobs escaped.
Tearless weeping caught Lunaris off-guard.
She hadn't expected this reaction.
After an eternity of sniffles.
Veronica asked in a trembling voice,
-Is there... really a next life?
Lunaris nodded without hesitation.
"There is."
Her confident reply drew a long, relieved sigh from Veronica.
Her form began fading.
Her bangs parted at last, revealing her eyes.
Crescent-shaped, strikingly poignant.
-...Thank you.
Veronica's final words brushed Lunaris's ear like a breeze.
After ghost senior dissolved into a stream of light and vanished.
I stood there blankly, blinking for a bit.
A hollow feeling escaped as an unwitting sigh.
Something tugged dully in my chest.
Never imagined it'd wrap up like this.
...No, wait.
Was that nagging sense of something royally screwed-up just my imagination?
"Hold on."
A dizzy realization struck.
"Sending Veronica senior off to the afterlife wasn't in the plan...?"
Cold sweat beaded on my forehead.
I'd nuked an entire original episode.